Home / Health / Alberta Teens' Privacy at Risk: Doctors Warn
Alberta Teens' Privacy at Risk: Doctors Warn
7 Feb
Summary
- Alberta increased parental access to teen health records up to age 18.
- Doctors fear this compromises sensitive care and teen privacy.
- Other provinces have varying, often younger, age cutoffs for access.
Alberta doctors express significant concerns following the provincial government's extension of parental access to teenagers' online health records until age 18. Previously limited to children under 12, this change, effective Monday, allows parents to view information via the MyHealth Records portal, including lab results and prescriptions.
Physicians worry this increased access will compromise adolescent confidentiality, deterring teens from seeking care for sensitive issues such as contraception, mental health, and substance use. The Canadian Paediatric Society supports confidentiality for quality adolescent care, stating privacy concerns can prevent teens from receiving essential treatment.
This policy creates a potential conflict with the "mature minor" principle common in Canadian law, which allows adolescents to consent to treatment independently. While Alberta allows 16- and 17-year-olds to request revocation of parental access, concerns remain about trust erosion and potential risks from delayed or denied care.
Comparisons with other provinces reveal varied approaches. British Columbia's parental access ends at 12, Saskatchewan's at 14 with teen-controlled sharing, and Prince Edward Island's at 16. Alberta's government acknowledges mature minor rights but states no universal provincial standard exists, though safeguards are reportedly in place.
